The prior art has included a number of devices and systems for controlling the pressure within a vehicle tire.
A number of these prior art devices and systems were not entirely mounted on a vehicle wheel, but rather included parts or components which were mounted on the vehicle body or frame. Such devices and systems typically require some form of rotating joint, mechanical, electrical or pneumatic connection to establish communication between the parts or components mounted on (and rotating with) the wheel, and those mounted on the body or frame of the vehicle.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,902 (Loewe et al) describes an Automatic Tire Pressure Monitor And Inflation System having an electric motor, an air compressor disposed upon the rotating wheel, and an electrical generator. The generator includes a first generator component which is mounted on the rotating wheel and a second generator component which is mounted on a non-rotating portion of the vehicle. Thus, this system includes a rotating connection whereby, the wheel-mounted components of the generator will interact with the vehicle-mounted components thereof, to induce a voltage for driving the electric motor.
There remains a need in the art for the development of a fully wheel-mounted device or system for maintaining a desired inflation pressure within a vehicle tire, without the need for the mounting of additional parts or components on non-rotating portions of the vehicle.